Lost in Translations

Disclaimer: We own nothing from Fushigi Yuugi or "The Universe of the Four Gods". We do own everything else though. Please enjoy the fic. Thanks!

Chapter Two: Another World

Written by: Ryusagi

The snow was falling heavily outside as Rummy looked out the car window. Many trees with white for leaves passed by her view. She hated moving with a passion.

Her mother was a traveling businesswoman who had to keep moving around Germany, and sometimes overseas. Her father had abandoned her at the age of four and she had no living relatives that she knew existed. Her mother did what she could to keep them from starving, but her job didn't pay much, since most of the money went to spending it for the moves. Rummy had had no friends since her dad had left. Well, that is, not counting her brother. But he's been gone for ten years.

It had upset Rummy so much, that she had refused to eat anything after his disappearance. Only six at the time, she soon became anorexic and unhealthy. The only person she had cared about had been her brother, Drake. She hadn't cared when her mother had physically abused her because of the fights her father and mother got into. She hadn't cared when her father abandoned her and her brother. She hadn't even cared when her mother tried to abandon them as well to try to find her father to make amends. Rummy hadn't had to care, because she had her brother. Her brother had always made everything all right.

Rummy could still remember. Waking up from a frightful night of spooks and lightning, she gazed upon a blazing blue light in the center of the room she shared with her brother.

"Drake?" she called out hesitantly. Wondering what was happening, she crawled out of her bed and stood on the hard, cement floor.

"Drake?" she called again, this time a little urgently. Scooping up her stuffed doggy, Spots, she walked toward the light.

"Drake!" she screamed, recognizing her brother's coal black, shaggy mane and his black tee shirt in the center of the bluish light, "Drake, what's happening!"

His face had turned at her frightened scream to look at her.

"Come on, sweetie. Cheer up! I know you'll make friends at our new home. Here, why don't you read this book. I'm sure you'll like it. It looks like something that you would get into," her mom said, trying to cheer her forlorn daughter up.

Rummy, a young woman at the age of sixteen with long, flowing orange hair, gave her mother a blank stare after just being startled out of her memories and thoughts.

"I don't like reading."

"Oh, now I distinctly remember your love of books. Now here...read."

Lily's deep hazel eyes flicked down to look at the cover of the book. 'The Universe of the Four Gods' was written in big, curvy print on the front, and it was bound Chinese style.

"Why would I want to read about Gods. Honestly mother, I have no idea where you get your ideas."

"Rummy! Take the damn book now, before I stop this car!" her mother told her sternly, letting her language slip.

Rummy reached out and grabbed the book with a forlorn expression on her round face. Placing it in her lap, she continued her musing as she looked out the window. It was obvious to her mother that she had no intention of reading the book anytime soon.

Sighing, her mother continued driving down the worn down cement road. She looked at her daughter through the rear-view mirror and started to say something, but stopped in the middle of opening her mouth. Giving up on conversation with her daughter for the moment, she continued driving, glaring at the road as she made a turn at an intersection.

Rummy, oblivious to her mother, continued her daydreaming as she stared at the trees as they passed.

Her brother's startled eyes stared at her as his mouth struggled fruitlessly to talk. He reached a hand out to her as the light suddenly caved in on itself in a silent explosion. His eyes. She hadn't been able to tear herself away from his eyes. They had held surprise, anguish, love, but worst of all, they held hate. Hate at her for not saving him; for not being there for him when he had always been there for her.

A large bump that seemed to have purposefully put itself in the way of the car's tire, aroused her from her thoughts.

'Damn it!' she cursed to herself, knowing the lecture her mother would give her if she said such a thing aloud. Looking down at her lap, she noticed the book had opened itself, more than likely because of the bump in the road, and was presenting her with two full pages of print.

'Herein contains the tale of a young lady and her quest to gather the seven Constellation of Genbu together,' the page read, 'and if you, the esteemed reader, should read to the story's end, the spell contained within this book shall bestow upon you the powers of the heroine, and grant you your wish. For indeed, the moment the page is turned, the story will become reality.'

"I see that you decided to read the book after all."

"Huh...?" Rummy asked, not seeming to know where she was at the moment. Puzzled, she looked at her mom for several moments before anything registered.

Slamming the cover of the book over it's pages, she glared at her mother until her eyes left the rear-view mirror. Temporarily satisfied, she slipped the book into her messenger-bag that was laying at her side on the other seat.

'Even if mother did give it to me...it's worth looking at. Gods, if I could have a wish granted, then maybe I can get my brother back! I just have to find a time when I can read it in peace...and a place where I can be alone, of course. But I'll worry about that after we get to wherever we're going to,' thought Rummy to herself as she looked over the seat in front of her to see the road.

"Mother, where are we going?"

"Well," her mother sighed, "I thought you were never going to ask, but I can't tell you. It's a surprise."

"...A surprise? I don't particularly care for surprises, mother," she said menacingly, knowing that this whole thing was going to be hell.

"I know dear, but I thought it would be better if I didn't tell you. Aren't you excited, dear?" her mother asked with a smile.

Rummy decided it was better to continue looking out the window then reply.

Sighing, her mother focused all her attention on the road.

Rummy's POV(note from authoress: the majority of Rummy's story will be done in first person) about three hours after above conversation

I got out of the car with what must have been apprehension on my face, because my mother patted my shoulder and assured me that I was surely going to love our new "home."

Turns out our "home" is a used trailer in a trailer park. Great.

Mother started to shuffle through many papers until she found a long, rectangular envelope. Taking out a rusted key, she shoved it into the keyhole of the front door. With a grunt, mother turned the key, and the door immediately creaked open.

"After you," mother said, giving a little bow.

Hefting my messenger bag back onto my right shoulder where it belonged (I had dropped it onto the ground as I waited for mother to open the door) I walked up the three steps and inside without hesitation.

Immediately upon entering, I noticed that it was pitch dark, and that no one had been taking care of the place. It was in need of major repair. The tiled floor of the entryway and hallway didn't really resemble a tile floor. Most of the tiles were missing, and there were huge gaping holes in the ceiling. Most areas of the walls were homes to mold and mildew. As I stepped further inside, a fat, black rat with pink eyes scurried over my foot in it's haste to run from me. I hastily stepped back a few paces.

"Mother, are you sure you have the right place?" I asked with the meager amount of hope I had left as I turned to face her.

In answer, I got the door slammed in my face.

I should have known better than to trust her.

I heard the scraping of the key locking the door, and soon later the sound of tires crunching gravel. So that was it. She decided to lock me up in an abandoned trailer and leave me to rot. After ten long, hard years of fighting to stay alive, I had actually started to think that she was trying to be a mother; one I could trust. Apparently, I was wrong. Like always.

Well, might as well explore the hell hole that I've been put in.

As I walked down the hallway, it soon came clear that there was a whole nest of rats living here. Trying to ignore them, I walked into the nearest room. It was a kitchen, or what was left of it.

Spider webs hung from every corner and some were even as long as to reach the floor from the ceiling. More rats stuck their heads out of holes in cupboards and walls to sniff the air as I walked by. I glanced around the room and over the counters and sinks. Then I did a double take.

A snake, at least the length of my leg, was emerging from the sink and onto the counter. It's scales were mainly white, and it had reddish eyes that examined me as I stood rooted to the spot. I wasn't completely sure, but I got the feeling that it was poisonous, so I turned swiftly. With the air of a princess going to a tea party, I calmly walked out of the room. Or at least, that was how I felt how I looked, but on the inside, my heart was pounding, and my adrenaline was rushing.

I might just get bitten by that snake yet, if I don't find a way out of here. I know one thing, I don't want to die slowly, but poison from a snake might be better than starving to death.

I walked into, what my guess is, the living room. There were spider webs here too, but I did spot a corner that was relatively free from mold. I used my messenger bag to swat away the few webs that dominated the corner and I sat down on the cement floor. The carpet had apparently been chewed away by the rats long ago. There were bits here and there that showed where there used to be carpet, but none big enough to sit on, even if I wanted to. Of course I didn't want to.

I opened my messenger bag and took out two things. I first took out Spots, my stuffed doggy. The second thing I took out was the book mother gave me. If it says it will grant me a wish, then I might as well try it. I don't have anything else to do.

I made myself as comfortable as I could; with Spots tucked in my elbow and the book against my knees. I opened the book and turned the page that I had already read. Then something strange happened. When I bent down to read the page, a sudden gaping black light enveloped me. Screaming like a lunatic, I started to hover off the ground. The black light got larger until in consumed the entire room. My eyes felt heavy, and I couldn't help but close my eyes on my now black world.

Finally, it is spring!

Running down the hill and through the meadow, I fell into the half-dead grass. I rolled and rolled in it until I had grass stains all over me. I let my body lay still as I laughed at the clear, blue sky. What a great day to be alive!

It was still chilly of course, but today was the official day of spring in Bei-Jia. If you headed north to the nearest town , about half a day's walk, there would be snow. That was just how it is in the north. Year round it is continuously cold.

I jumped up with a sudden surprise. Lying next to me in the grass was a beautiful young woman. Her light orange hair, a hair color that I've never seen on anyone before, pillowed her head on the ground and her fair skin glowed in the mid-morning sun. On closer inspection, I noticed many rings attached to her ears and two silver balls perched on her right eyebrow. She had a long, black , what I'm guessing a scar (but I've never seen the like of it before) along her right jaw-line (a.k.a. a tattoo kinda like the one Zell has from final fantasy VII only hers is on her jaw/cheek).

She wore the strangest clothing. Around her neck a long, black piece of fabric was wrapped at least twice and tied in a knot in the back(a scarf). She wore a long-sleeved, green shirt made of soft material, and extremely short pants, except there was only one leg (known as a skirt to us modern people.). Long pieces of cloth adorned her legs, as if they were pants, but not attached to her middle(thigh length stockings). Her boots were pale brown with tufts of fur around the top and along the sides; they laced up with brown cord.

I cocked my head to the side as I examined her. She looked like an angel. An angel that apparently was not waking up.

I started to fret. What if she was dead? Did I do it? Oh course not! I would have known! Wait... I should check if she's breathing. Great idea!

I bent down and put my head on her chest. I waited a few moments to find out that she was indeed breathing. Thank the gods! I lifted my head up and brushed my unusual silver hair out of my face with my fingers. Hell, if she was strange, so was I! What did it matter though? As long as I get the girl to a doctor, everything will be all right.

I lifted the girl up and put her on my back piggy-back style. I wrapped my arms around her legs and started the journey north to the nearest town and it's healer.

that night

"Tomite, will she be all right," the nurse asked.

"Of course. All she needs is rest. She should wake by morning," the young yet talented healer replied.

He was of slim build, but a little pudgy. He had sandy brown hair that was cut in three layers to frame his face and his pale green eyes were focused as he finished examining his patient. He wore the usual garb of his village; three layers of shirts with a sash around the waist with baggy pants. Black slippers adorned his feet, and a pale yellow headband was wrapped around his forehead to keep the sweat off his face; it tied in the back and flowed down to his waist. He was a handsome enough fellow, or at least to a few of the village girls. Unfortunately for them, he already belonged to someone.

"I suppose I should head home then," the nurse replied as she looked at him for approval.

"Of course. It is getting rather late. Go on," he said.

With a bow, the young woman grabbed her bag and left.

Tomite finished his cleaning and then left the room. The night was silent as Remedy slept peacefully in the bed that the healer had put her in. In a tree by a window, a silver-haired kid kept watch on her angel.

TBC

Well...did you like? I guess you'll have to wait until the next installment of Lost in Translations is updated to find out what happens to our Remedy, huh?